Information for PIP Victims from INAVEM

Information about the PIP Trials 

Here is some useful information about the criminal trials and links to INAVEM.

Jean Claude Mas

From INAVEM, France

In France we have a structure called INAVEM which takes care of victims of all type of delinquency. There are more than 80 associations in France composed of jurists and psychologists to help victims. The AVAD association located in Marseille has been appointed by the French department of justice to take care of the PIP victims (French victims but also foreign victims).
There are 3 criminals’ procedures ongoing concerning the PIP case:
-        The first one is the trial against the directors of the PIP society which will begin the 17^th of April until the 17^th of May. Jean-Claude Mas and the 4 others directors are charged of the offence of deception/misleading (in french “tromperie aggravée”). This trial concerned all the victims of PIP that means victims with physical injury (rupture, leak,...) and victims without complications.

-        The second criminal procedure ongoing is about intentional injury and manslaughter. The case opened the 8^th December 2011 is actually examined by an investigating judge in preparation for trial. The aim of this investigation is to prove the link between the harmfulness of the PIP gel and the physical injury. This case only concerns the victims with a physical injury.

-    The third criminal procedure concerns the financial aspect (laundering, misappropriation of funds, bankruptcy, receiving stolen goods). The case has opened the 16^th may 2012.

For the first trial you can file a civil action in the criminal proceeding. The aim of this civil action is to ask compensation for the wrong that the prosthesis PIP caused to you.  You have to fill only one document that you can find on the following web site http://www.inavem.org/  

Our juridical system is quite different from yours so if you have any question, or if something is not clear do not hesitate to ask.